Former Erie County Democratic and Republican chairs debate that, and more Sunday at 11a.m.
CLARENCE, NY ( wbbz.tv ) How has the recent government shutdown impacted the nation and Western New York?
Across the nation, State Parks do not have government rangers to patrol them and keep them open. The national weather service is operating with the fewest forecasters possible. The Buffalo News reports about 1,000 workers have been hit here at home.
Why the shutdown a few weeks ago? The divide over Obamacare, or the Affordable Health Care Act. House Republicans debated strategies on how to deal with deadlines – which ended up splitting the party in two.
The New Yorker reports that leader John Boehner favored a merely symbolic fight, followed by quick passage of a resolution to fund the government, with a battle over the debt ceiling.
But when Senator Ted Cruz and Tea Party conservatives thought Boehner’s strategy was thought to be more “show” then substance, Cruz pulled an overnight marathon session on the floor. Following that, the strategy changed to offer a credible threat of a government shutdown – and the House never did get to vote on measures that would have impacted the President’s health care plan.
So here we are, with the next big date on the calendar being Thursday October 17th when the debt ceiling will likely be voted on – to raise the government’s legal borrowing limit.
Here to sort this all out from the Beltway to Buffalo are two former Chairs of their respective parties. Former Erie County Democratic Chair Steve Pigeon, attorney for Underberg and Kessler and regular contributor to “Political Buzz” – and former Erie County Republican Chair Bob Davis, political analyst and president of the Partnership Advertising Agency.
Join host John Di Sciullo with WNY's top political pundits, Thursday morning at 9am and Sunday morning at 11a.m. on WBBZ-TV, Your Hometown Television Station.
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